Foreign and Commonwealth Office

EU Action: Parliamentary Scrutiny

Lord Boswell of Aynho: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, for each government department, from January to June 2014, (1) on how many occasions the scrutiny reserve resolution in the House of Lords was overridden, (2) on how many occasions the scrutiny reserve resolution in the House of Commons was overridden, and (3) in respect of how many documents an override occurred in (a) both Houses or (b) either House.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Government seeks to avoid breaching the Scrutiny Reserve Resolutions, continuing to account for overrides in writing to the Committees. The European Union Committee’s Report on 2013-14 (House of Lords Paper 6) published on 1 July 2014, recognised that continued positive engagement between the Committee’s secretariat and Departments has seen the number of overrides fall significantly since 2010, noting that many of the overrides that continue to be recorded relate to sensitive and fast-moving foreign policy matters, which cannot be made public beforehand, and where a scrutiny override may be difficult to avoid. That remained the case in the period January-June 2014 where of the 25 overrides across both Houses, 21 were in this category in the House of Lords and 22 in the House of Commons. During this period, 476 Explanatory Memoranda were submitted.The figures requested are set out below:Department(1). House of Lords Override(2). House of Commons override(a). No. of overrides in both Houses(b). Total no. of overridesForeign and Commonwealth Office19211921Department for Business, Innovation and Skills4224Totals23232125

Turkey

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Turkey about the alleged harassment by armed soldiers of refugees from the Kobane region of Syria at a camp near Suruç, Turkey.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We are aware of reports of alleged harassment of Syrian refugees at a camp near Suruç, Turkey. We have not made representations on these specific allegations, but maintain regular dialogue with Turkey on the humanitarian situation in the region. We recognise the challenges facing Turkey because of the conflicts in Syria and Iraq and appreciate the Turkish government’s considerable humanitarian efforts in the region. According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Turkey is now hosting more than 1.6 million Syrian refugees and a further 200,000 Iraqi refugees.

Gibraltar: Spain

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the Foreign Secretary last met the Spanish Foreign Minister to discuss Gibraltar; and whether there are any plans to do so again in the near future.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), has regular discussions with his Spanish counterpart. While they have not yet met to discuss Gibraltar directly, the Foreign Secretary made clear the Government’s well-known position on Gibraltar to the Spanish Foreign Minister in writing when he took office last year. The Foreign Secretary hopes to visit Spain soon and would certainly raise Spain’s policy towards Gibraltar when he does. The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr Lidington), frequently raises Gibraltar when he speaks to his Spanish counterpart, as do other Government ministers. The Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sevenoaks (Mr Fallon), recently raised unlawful incursions into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters when speaking to Spanish Defence Minister, Pedro Morenés. We stand by our commitment never to enter into arrangements under which the people of Gibraltar would pass under the sovereignty of another State against their wishes. And we will not enter into a process of sovereignty negotiations with which Gibraltar is not content. Ministers and officials continue to make this position clear to the Spanish government.

Saudi Arabia

Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the state of freedom of expression in Saudi Arabia; whether they have raised with the government of Saudi Arabia the sentence of 1,000 lashes against Raif Badawi; and whether the European Commission has made any representations in the case of Raif Badawi.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The UK is a strong supporter of freedom of expression around the world. We believe that people must be allowed to freely discuss and debate issues, peacefully challenge their governments, exercise the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and speak out against violations of human rights wherever they occur. We have raised a range of human rights issues with the Saudi authorities including the right to freedom of expression. We are seriously concerned by Raif Badawi’s case. The UK condemns the use of cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment in all circumstances. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon.Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), has raised the matter with the Saudi Ambassador. We have previously raised the case at a senior level with the Saudi authorities. Our embassy in Riyadh has supported two EU demarches on the Saudi government about this case.

Saudi Arabia

Baroness Wheatcroft: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking over the treatment of Raif Badawi.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We are seriously concerned by Raif Badawi’s case. The UK condemns the use of cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment in all circumstances. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), has raised the matter with the Saudi Ambassador. We have previously raised the case at a senior level with the Saudi authorities.The UK is a strong supporter of freedom of expression around the world. We believe that people must be allowed to freely discuss and debate issues, peacefully challenge their governments, exercise the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and speak out against violations of human rights wherever they occur.

Middle East

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 13 January (HL3931), what assessment they have made of progress in the Israeli investigation of the death of Palestinian Cabinet Minister Ziad Abu Ein.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Israeli investigation into the allegations of wrong-doings by Israeli Defence Force soldiers that led to Palestinian Minister Ziad Abu Ein's death is still pending.A team comprised of Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian forensic scientists investigated the death of Minister Abu Ein. They differed on the causes of his death, although they agreed that he died from a blockage of the coronary artery.

Syria

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they recognise a de facto existence of democratic administrations in the Kurdish cantons of northern Syria; and if so, what communications they have had concerning their basic needs.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The UK supports the sovereignty, independence, national unity and territorial integrity of Syria. Neither the UK nor the international community recognises the unilateral decision made by the Partiya Yekitiya Demokrat (PYD) to form a temporary administration in the Kurdish areas of Syria. The UK has consistently made it clear to the PYD that they need to demonstrate commitment to pluralism, respecting other political forces within the Kurdish areas rather than linked to the regime, and willingness to co-operate with the National Coalition. It will be for the Syrians to decide the exact nature of the settlement including whether an autonomous region will be created for the Kurds in Syria.We appreciate the difficulty in delivering aid in northern Syria as a result of insecurity. The UK is working closely with our partners and continues to push all parties to allow the safe, unhindered delivery of aid.

Syria

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they support the right of the cantons of northern Syria to negotiate for themselves in any future process for peace within Syria.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: It will be for all Syrians to decide and agree the exact nature of a future political settlement, including the shape of the constitution.

Syria

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the light of the Syrian refugee crisis and the ongoing war in that country, they will reconsider their policy of demanding the resignation of President Assad and promoting peace talks between the Assad regime and the officially-recognised opposition.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Assad regime is responsible for the crisis in Syria; there is no realistic prospect of peace while Assad is in power. The only way to end the violence, and counter the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, is through inclusive governance which can represent all communities, free from Assad. The UK continues to believe that a negotiated political transition in Syria, in line with the Geneva communiqué, is the only way to end the conflict and alleviate Syria’s humanitarian crisis. The UN is best placed to facilitate any talks between the regime and the opposition designed to help bring about a political settlement.

South Sudan

Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the United Nations Population Fund's estimate that as many as 25,000 women and girls in South Sudan are at risk of sexual violence in refugee camps; and whether they plan to take any action in the light of that estimate.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The UK is deeply concerned by the prevalence of sexual violence in South Sudan. We have allocated three million pounds to prevent and respond to gender-based violence. Additionally, the UK’s contribution to humanitarian programmes helps to support survivors of sexual violence and make refugee camps safer for women and girls. We continue to press the Government of South Sudan (GoSS) to implement its commitment to end sexual violence, as set out in the joint communiqué between the GoSS and the United Nations of October 2014.

South Sudan

Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the talks which have taken place in Juba between President Kikwete of Tanzania and President Salva Kiir Mayardit of South Sudan.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: President Kiir met with President Kikwete and other leaders assembled in Arusha, Tanzania for the intra-Sudanese People Liberation Movement (SPLM) dialogue. The Arusha communiqué was subsequently signed on 21 January. It remains vitally important that South Sudan’s leaders uphold their commitments to secure peace and form a transition government of national unity through the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) - led peace process.

Nigeria

Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the scale of human rights abuses in Nigeria, with particular reference to the activities of Boko Haram; and what assistance they have offered the government of Nigeria in dealing with those responsible for the abuse.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Over the last year, Boko Haram insurgents have committed widespread human rights abuses across north east Nigeria. These have included bombings, killings, abductions and sexual violence, and have resulted in more than 4000 deaths and over 900 kidnaps. Furthermore the UN estimates that the insurgency has led to over 1.5 million people being displaced. To assist the Nigerian authorities in their fight against Boko Haram, we are providing a substantial package of UK military, intelligence and development support. This includes training and advice to Nigerian units deploying against Boko Haram, as well as intelligence support with the Intelligence Fusion Cell in Abuja and assistance to the Nigerians in bringing increased development and prosperity to the North East. We are working closely with international partners supporting their assistance to the large numbers of people displaced by the conflict in the North East. The UK’s contribution to the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department (ECHO) programmes to Nigeria in 2014 is £1.7million. The Department for International Development has provided £1million to support the Red Cross to provide humanitarian assistance in the North East of Nigeria.

Saudi Arabia

Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the scale of human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia, with particular reference to corporal punishment, lashes, beheading and hanging; and what representations they have made to the government of Saudi Arabia both in the human rights context and in respect of the fight against extremism.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The British Government’s position on human rights is a matter of public record. Saudi Arabia remains a Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) country of concern because of the human rights situation in the country, particularly on the death penalty, access to justice, women’s rights, restrictions on freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and freedom of religion or belief. The UK condemns the use of torture, or cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment and the use of the death penalty in all circumstances. We regularly make our views known including through the UN Universal Periodic Review process and the FCO’s annual Human Rights and Democracy Report. We also raise our human rights concerns with the Saudi Arabian authorities at the highest level.Saudi Arabia is a key partner in our global counter terrorism efforts, particularly within the region. Saudi Arabia has many years of experience in countering radicalisation and extremism. Continued close co-operation between the UK and Saudi Arabia will remain part of work to protect both UK and Saudi Arabian interests from the threat of terrorism.

Pakistan

Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the scale of the use and proposed use of the death penalty in Pakistan; and what representations they have made to the government of Pakistan in the context of both human rights and the fight against extremism.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We are concerned about the resumption of capital punishment in Pakistan for terrorism cases. Pakistan has over 8,000 prisoners on death row. It has been reported that 500 of these may be affected by this change but it is not clear if all of these prisoners face execution. It is our longstanding policy to oppose the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle. We fully understand Pakistan’s resolve to protect society from terrorism but there is no conclusive evidence that capital punishment is an effective deterrent. The UK remains opposed to the death penalty in all cases and we have consistently pressed Pakistan on this issue.

Lebanon

Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest assessment of the support given by the government of Lebanon to the refugees fleeing the conflict in Syria; and what proposals they have to share this burden.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Lebanon, with international assistance, is providing generous support to over 1.1 million registered refugees from Syria. This is placing huge strain on Lebanon’s infrastructure, economy and local communities. Since the start of the Syria crisis, the UK has provided around £160 million to help Lebanon in supporting and managing Syrian refugees in Lebanon and in easing the pressure on the country’s resources. This support is co-ordinated with that provided by other donors in line with the vision set out in the Lebanon Crisis Response Plan.  The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood), discussed the issue of Syrian refugees with the Lebanese Prime Minister and the Speaker for Parliament when he visited Lebanon in December and emphasised that the UK will continue to provide support to Lebanon.

Colombia

Baroness Coussins: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what practical steps they are taking to follow up the visit of the Prime Minister's Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict to Colombia in 2014; and how they are supporting civil society in Colombia to work on the agenda they set at the Global Summit on ending conflict-related sexual violence.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: I am proud to work with the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), on the issue of sexual violence in conflict and see the leadership that the UK is taking on this issue. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is working across Government and around the world to ensure that we make significant progress in addressing impunity and supporting conflict affected states in strengthening their responses to these crimes.  The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), and Mr Hague regularly discuss the implementation of the commitments from the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence, which took place in London in June last year.The Colombian government’s efforts internationally and at home have demonstrated a clear commitment to tackling sexual violence. There is still more to do and the UK is supporting three projects in Colombia through the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative:1. Our Embassy is working with two non-governmental organisations (NGOs), LIMPAL and Casa Amazonia, to directly support survivors of sexual violence, train women’s organisations and connect them to government authorities.2. We are working with DeJusticia and the Attorney General’s Office to train prosecutors to investigate sexual violence in armed conflict, in support of efforts to develop new national standards for investigation and prosecution.3. We are working with NGO Casa de la Mujer to adapt and implement in Colombia the International Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict (launched at the June Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict), with pilots in two municipalities of the Pacific coast most affected by the armed conflict and with high incidence of sexual violence.In 2015 our Embassy will hold an event during the first week of February to support the campaign against sexual violence, Survivors United for Action, led by Jineth Bedoya. Bedoya is one of Colombia’s most respected leaders on this theme and was a speaker at the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict.

Islamic State

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to create a concerted European and Middle-Eastern effort to deny funding to ISIS, in particular from sales of oil and antiquities, but also from ransoms and private gifts.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Denying the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) access to funds and other resources is a key part of our strategy to defeat ISIL. The UK has been at the forefront of efforts to rally wider international support against ISIL, including at the September North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Summit and at the UN. Under our Presidency in August, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2170 to restrict ISIL’s financial, trade and recruitment network, including through the sale of oil and antiquities. To build on this, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), co-hosted, with US Secretary of State John Kerry, a meeting of 21 European and Middle East coalition countries in London on 22 January. The meeting reviewed our efforts to degrade and defeat ISIL, not just through military force but by addressing the underlying factors such as financing. Agreement was reached to further the work in countering all avenues of ISIL’s finances.

Radicalism

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are examining with religious scholars and Arab civil society ways to delegitimise the ideology of jihadis and takfiris.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Recent events in the region have demonstrated how terrorist groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and Al Nusra Front are using violence and intimidation to impose extremist ideology on civilians and commit atrocities. Tackling radicalisation and extremist ideologies and their root causes is a priority for the British Government.As the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), made clear at the UN General Assembly in September 2014, failure to meet people’s needs and aspirations can create a breeding ground where extremist and even terrorist insurgency can take root. It is vital that the underlying grievances that stem from lack of political and economic freedoms and opportunities are addressed. These issues and long-term stability are inextricably linked. The UK is supporting countries as they do this, working with governments and civil society including academics and religious experts, to tackle both short term conflict and support longer-term moves to more open and inclusive government. We welcome initiatives such as the Amman message underlining core values of Islam including tolerance and mutual respect – principles which have inspired gatherings by scholars around the world.We are working with regional and coalition allies to counter ISIL’s twisted ideology. Participants at the Counter-ISIL Coalition Small Group meeting in London on 22 January agreed to work more closely to counter ISIL’s narrative and to encourage moderate Islamic voices to speak out against extremism. We have been clear that defeating ISIL will take considerable time, but we have a comprehensive, long-term and well-coordinated strategy in place.

Afghanistan

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the presence of ISIL fighters in Helmand Province in Afghanistan since the withdrawal of British troops; and what assessment they have made of expressions of support for ISIL by some groups in Afghanistan.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We are aware of recent media reports suggesting that elements of the insurgency in parts of Afghanistan, including Helmand, have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Alongside our international partners we continue to monitor the situation as part of our close cooperation on security matters with the Afghan government.

Syria

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made on efforts to degrade and defeat ISIL, in the light of recent reports that one third of Syrian territory is now under ISIL's control.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: In the last six months, the global coalition has conducted over two thousand air strikes against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Iraq, with Royal Air Force pilots flying over 6700 hours of surveillance, reconnaissance, refueling and strike missions. Our efforts, and those of the coalition as a whole, have helped check ISIL’s advance and assisted the Iraqis in liberating a number of important towns. Coalition airstrikes are also having an effect in Syria, including at Kobane. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), co-hosted, with US Secretary of State John Kerry, a conference on 22 January to push forward other streams of work including disrupting ISIL’s funding streams, tackling foreign fighters, and countering ISIL’s twisted ideology. In Syria, Assad must continue to bear responsibility for the savage civil war and the harrowing impact it is having on his own people. He is a catalyst of terrorism, not its cure. So it is vital that we keep supporting moderate voices and keep pushing for a political settlement that ends the civil war. We have been clear that defeating ISIL will take considerable time, but we have a comprehensive, long-term and well-coordinated strategy in place.

Department for International Development

Kashmir

Lord Ahmed: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have provided any financial support for the redevelopment of houses destroyed during recent floods in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: The UK government has not received a request from the Indian Government for financial assistance. In 2012, DFID announced that it would end our traditional financial grant aid to India in 2015. From this year on, our partnership will be based on sharing skills and expertise, investing in private sector projects that benefit the poor, and working together on global development issues.

Department for Education

Children: Education

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many children in England do not attend primary or secondary school on a full-time basis.

Lord Nash: According to the January 2014 school census (see table attached), all children of compulsory school age in primary schools who are on the school roll attend full time. The table can also be found online as Table 1a of the national tables at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2014There are 90 pupils in secondary schools of compulsory school age who are taught part time. The Department for Education does not collect data on the number of children receiving elective home education.



Number of children at state funded schools
(Excel SpreadSheet, 50 KB)

The Lord Chairman of Committees

Parliament: Correspondence

Lord Norton of Louth: To ask the Chairman of Committees how many items of correspondence were received in the Palace of Westminster in 2014; and, of those, what proportion was received in the House of Lords.

Lord Sewel: In total, 2,234,763 items of mail were received in the Palace of Westminster in 2014. The Administration does not count which House each item goes to but estimates that approximately 25 per cent (558,691) of these items were destined for the House of Lords. These figures do not include parcels, courier items or internal mail.

Ministry of Defence

Military Aircraft: Accidents

Lord Moonie: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the cause of the accident involving a British Royal Air Force Airbus A330-200 (RRR2740) from Royal Air Force Brize Norton at St John’s, Newfoundland; what was the cost of repairing the damage; and what additional costs were incurred while it was out of service.

Lord Astor of Hever: The RAF is undertaking an Occurrence Safety Investigation (OSI) into the incident involving Voyager ZZ331 at St John's International Airport on 19 December 2014. Whilst taxiing to its parking bay under the guidance of ground handling staff, the aircraft's wing struck a hangar. It would be inappropriate to comment further on the cause until the OSI is completed.The costs incurred as a result of the incident are still to be finalised, but the damage caused was relatively minor.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Lyme Disease

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the extent of Lyme disease in the United Kingdom in (1) sheep, (2) other farm animals, (3) domestic animals, and (4) wild animals; and what action they are taking to reduce the number of infected animals.

Lord De Mauley: Defra has made no formal assessment of the extent of Lyme disease in the United Kingdom in livestock, domestic or wild animals. However a number of surveillance studies have shown that the main carriers of the Borrelia organism that causes Lyme disease in people and dogs are small wild mammals (for example mice and voles) and ground nesting birds. Other studies have looked at the role of cattle, sheep and deer as hosts for the intermediate tick host, although these species do not maintain infection with the organism. No action is taken to reduce the number of infected wild animals. Action to reduce the number of infected wild animals could only be taken at disproportionate cost.   Control of the disease in people is focussed on public awareness of the importance of preventing tick bites. Factsheets on tick bite risk and prevention are produced by Public Health England and Lyme Disease Action, with further information for patients published by NHS Choices. Veterinary advice on the prevention of infection in dogs is widely available through private practitioners and a vaccine for dogs is now licensed.

Horses: Animal Welfare

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government which government or local government department is responsible for the welfare of horses on (1) an official Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs registered holding, (2) racecourses for the purposes of racing, (3) private land used for training horses, (4) private land used for stabling or holding horses on behalf of others who own them, and (5) moorland or common land.

Lord De Mauley: My department is responsible for government policy on the welfare of horses in England. The devolved administrations are responsible for animal welfare policy in their respective jurisdictions. The owner of a horse is legally responsible for the welfare of their horse wherever it is situated.

Home Office

British Nationals Abroad: Syria

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many of the 300 United Kingdom citizens who have returned from Syria have been (1) investigated for criminal acts, and (2) charged with terrorism-related offences or other criminal acts.

Lord Bates: The number of individuals currently under investigation for criminal acts is a matter for the police and as such, the Government can not comment on current investigations. Numbers of individuals suspected of involvement in acts of terrorism or criminal matters, arrested and then formally charged with terrorism-related offences or other criminal offences is recorded and collated in the Home Office Quarterly Statistical Bulletin (last published 04 December 2014)(www.gov.uk/government/statistics/operation-of-police-powers-under-the-terrorism-act-2000-quarterly-update-to-june-2014 ). 



Quarterly Statistical Bulletin - 4/12/14
(PDF Document, 125.9 KB)

Telecommunications: Databases

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the statement by the Home Secretary, Theresa May, on 14 January (HC Deb, cols 819–71), that the proposals in the Communications Data Bill were essential, whether the reference was to the draft bill as considered by the Joint Committee or to the revised proposals developed by the Home Office after the Committee reported.

Lord Bates: As my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Home Secretary, has made clear, the Government is committed to ensuring that our intelligence and law enforcement agencies have the powers they need to investigate crime, preserve national security and protect the public. These agencies need access to communications data, but capabilities continue to diminish due to rapidly changing technology. Both the Joint Committee on the Draft Communications Data Bill, which the Noble Lord chaired, and the Intelligence and Security Committee, which looked at this issue in detail, concluded that there was a gap in capabilities which needed to be addressed. The Government indicated at the time that we accepted the recommendations of the Joint Committee and were willing to make the changes necessary to give effect to those recommendations.It is vital that this issue is returned to in the next Parliament, when the provisions in the Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Act 2014 will sunset, and when Parliament will also be able to consider the findings of the current review into investigatory powers that is being conducted by the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, David Anderson QC.

Identity Cards

Lord Hunt of Chesterton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of introducing identity cards as a means of tracking the use of public services, monitoring anti-social and criminal behaviour, and collecting immigration statistics.

Lord Bates: The Government has no plans to introduce an identity card system for British citizens. We abolished the previous administration's expensive and ineffective identity cards scheme in 2010.Biometric Residence Permits are issued to non-EEA nationals staying in the UK for more than six months. These provide evidence of the holders' immigration status in the UK. The Government has also introduced a series of robust new measures through the Immigration Act 2014 to prevent those migrants here illegally from accessing a range of public services to which they are not entitled.

Counter-terrorism

Lord Harris of Haringey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the statement by the Prime Minister on 25 November 2014 (HC Deb, col 749), how much of the extra £130 million allocated to combat terrorism in 2015–16 and 2016–17 is to be provided to the police counter-terrorism network.

Lord Bates: The police will receive an allocation from this funding however, for security reasons, the Government never breaks down the counter-terrorism policing budget into individual grants or allocations for reasons of national security.

HM Treasury

UK Trade with EU

Baroness Morgan of Ely: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the volume of trade between the United Kingdom and the European Union, using the latest figures available, and broken down by England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Lord Deighton: HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is responsible for the collection of data on goods exported from and imported to the United Kingdom. UK trade data are published by HMRC in the Overseas Trade Statistics and Regional Trade Statistics publications, and via their dedicated website[1].   The volume of trade for each trade flow between the United Kingdom and the European Union by country is reported in the table below. Values in £ thousandsCountry2012 (Jan to Dec)2013 (Jan to Dec)2014 (Jan to Sep)1ExportImportExportImportExportImportEngland110,043,053173,156,060108,018,083178,554,06077,777,230133,841,053Northern Ireland3,163,5903,180,6283,479,0973,218,6442,700,3492,493,340Scotland8,137,6355,059,1178,697,1545,321,0426,277,7203,809,783Wales5,916,0303,365,1136,558,1683,479,1674,435,9022,674,741Unknown22,343,97919,754,49923,483,52425,078,68418,902,87719,035,641Grand Total149,604,287204,515,417150,236,026215,651,597110,094,078161,854,558Source: HMRC Regional Trade StatisticsNote: 1) 2014 data is January to September 2014 year to date inclusive and subject to update2) Trade is presented on a General Trade basis3) EU Trade includes Below Threshold Trade Allocation (BTTA)4) Data is allocated to a region based on the address of the VAT Registered UK trader5) Unknown trade refers to data that cannot be allocated to a region. This includes foreign traders registered for VAT in the UK, Electricity and Gas, Channel Island and Isle of Man Trade and Government trade[1] www.uktradeinfo.com

Department for Energy and Climate Change

European Energy Charter

Baroness Falkner of Margravine: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the Energy Charter Treaty.

Baroness Verma: A key provision of the Energy Charter Treaty lies in the protection it offers to foreign energy investments. It protects foreign investors against non-commercial risks such as discriminatory treatment, direct or indirect expropriation, or the breach of individual investment contracts. It is the only multilateral Treaty providing legally binding cover for energy investment related matters. There is evidence of over sixty known investor-state disputes based on the provisions of the Treaty.

Wind Power

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are planning to review the current rate of subsidy offered to suppliers of energy generated from wind farms.

Baroness Verma: There are currently three mechanisms through which wind farms can seek support: the renewables obligation (RO), contracts for difference (CFD) and the small-scale feed-in tariff (FIT).No further comprehensive banding review is planned for the RO scheme. The last review, which reported in July 2012, set support rates through to the RO’s closure to new generation on 31 March 2017. The first allocation round for CFDs is currently underway. It is our intention that established technologies (such as onshore wind) will have to compete on price in an auction in order to secure a contract for support, meaning that only the most cost-effective projects will be built and so CFDs will represent better value for money than the RO. EU state aid clearance for the FIT requires a review of the scheme every three years. The next periodic review is scheduled to take place later this year.

Department of Health

Lyme Disease

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what information, advice and training is provided to doctors and nurses on the symptoms and treatment of Lyme disease; what advice is provided to general practitioners on the reference to specialists of patients exhibiting symptoms of Lyme disease; and which centres provide specialist treatment for that disease.

Baroness Jolly: Public Health England (PHE) and the National Health Service have detailed information on the recognition, diagnosis, treatment and management of Lyme disease. PHE has also written a guide on how to refer patients for specialist advice, which is attached. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence also has an online guide for general practitioners (GP) and other health professionals.   PHE issues a letter to all GPs on an annual basis at the beginning of the tick season describing Lyme disease and highlighting the need to be aware and to recognise the condition. The majority of cases are managed by GPs without reference to specialists, but problem cases can be referred to neurology, rheumatology, cardiology and infectious disease clinics depending on the local provision and of services and patient’s symptoms. In addition to the attached guidance, Suggested referral pathway for patients with symptoms related to Lyme disease, PHE offers a telephone helpline for GPs and consultants to discuss particular cases. PHE works closely with the patient group Lyme Disease Action, who will also represent individuals who have trouble obtaining specialist advice, and can thus help in suggesting potential routes of referral.  



Lyme Disease Referral Pathway
(PDF Document, 41.21 KB)